[Khy11]

My spouse and I (no kids, late 40s) are thinking about buying a second home in the Las Vegas area. We're from the East Coast, but we love the Southwest and keep finding ourselves venturing back to Vegas. We're currently looking in the 89149 area code (as we are gravitating towards the Northwest and want to be near the mountains and the higher elevation). We don't want to be in a master plan community (don't want monthly association fees), and we're looking at ranch homes (around 3500 sq. feet), but we're wondering about the location and as to estimates for monthy bills (electric, water, heat, cable, etc.). Any advice would be much appreciated.

[radraja]

If it's just a vacation home, you may even be well served getting a condo near the strip.

If being by the mountains is your priority, the northwest is your best bet. Or Summerlin, which is close to Red Rock Canyon.

[Chest Rockwell]

For an older 3500 square ft home, you'll pay power bills of around $500 or more in the summer and gas bills of around $250 in the winter. Of course, this is only if you are there and using the furnace/ac. The water bill depends if you have a pool or lawn, but with both you could have a water bill of over $100 in the summer. Cable is the same anywhere. If you are planning on leaving the home vacant most of the year, you'll probably want an alarm service as well. Why such a large home for only two people? I agree that a condo would serve you best. All of the amenities are paid for by the community and will be kept up and ready for you when you come to town.

Olecapt is a specialist on these homes. I'm sure he'll give valuable input.

[lvlover]

89149 and the adjacent 89129 are in the RNP (Rural Neighborhood Preservation) Zone. This is not particularly rural...simply no requirements to develop the street front and minimum 1/2 acre zoning.

Most of these homes are on wells. Generally a community well serving two to nine homes. Bigger acreages may have a private domestic well. The standard well association fee is $50 per month which actually overpays a little and fills a reserve for well pump replacement.

Many have only electric for power. Newer and closer in may have gas. In general the peak electric bill in July August will hit $500 for an older 3000 SF Home and perhaps $300 for a new one. Difference is quality of insulation. In the winter the bills peak at $300. Figure $350 average.

Cox is available pretty much everywhere...Around $125 for cable and internet.

Trash pickup is $35 a quarter.

Note that most places will have CC&Rs though not necessarily an HOA. Watch out for well associations that turn out to be HOAs.

As you get higher toward the mountains things get newer but services tend to be sparser. That is where you get the great views.

[Khy11]

Thanks for your replies. Just so you know, I don't see what we're looking at as just a vacation home, as I do plan to use it several times a year, and we might eventually move to this home as our primary residence in a few years. Being near the mountains is a priority as we love the views and want to be a bit away from the Strip-scence. The home which we're looking at is very new and deemed "energy efficient." I am wondering, however, about the monthly bills for the up-keep of the small pool/spa (so if anyone has notions about that, please chime in). Also, the home already has an alarm system.
We saw a "well system" in proximity, but we have been advised that there is neither a HOA nor a well association. Based on lvlover's response, however, we're going to double-check on that aspect of things.

We are looking to be in the best neighborhood possible for our money, but we know this is a matter of opinion (and are willing to spend in excess of $500K). If any additional location ideas, we would appreciate your suggestions. We are currently focusing on the Northwest (but not on Summerlin due to the extra fees)., and we figure that this is a good time to buy due to the "down market." We have been searching in the Lone Mountain area, so thoughts about that, or any other "mountain locations," would be great. We want to be on at least 1/2 acre.
Thanks again for your time and assistance!